Firebrand of the North: Nathaniel Lyon and the Civil War
August 10th, 1861
Wilson's Creek, Missouri
Army of the West
Lyon's command
Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon was in a fix. His plan to hit the southern forces from the north and south was starting to fail. The southerners were rallying and throwing everything they had at both of the federal forces. This is the last time i'm going to let Sigel talk me into splitting my forces. If i had just kept to the origional plan, maybe we would have been able to push them back enough in order for the army to withdraw back to Rolla. Lyon's original plan was to attack the rebs at dawn with his entire force of some 5,500 men and drive them from their encampment at Wilson's Creek. Then Col. Franz Sigel had put forth a plan to attack from two directions, one from the north (Lyon) and the other from the south(Sigel). This he argued would throw the rebs into a panic and cause them to flee. Well, a lot of good that did. Lyon had learned that Sigel had stalled and was being assaulted by Confederates under McCulloch. Lyon pray that a miracle would take place...
Army of the West
Sigel's command
Artillery fire and musket fire buzzed all about as Col. Franz Sigel cursed. Dammit! My command is falling apart. I must consolidate my line and turn around my cannons so that they point at the rebels coming up the hill! Sigel shouted the orders and nodded when the aides went about their tasks. Suddenly, there was a high pitched yell that attracted Sigel's attention. As Sigel looked, severl Rebel Regiments started to form for an attack. Oh Great! Now what do i do! I knew that this plan was too good to be true. I should have kept my mouth shut and went along with the original plan. I should have.... Wait a minute! Is that an officer leading them on horseback? After severl minutes, Sigel smiled. Yes it is! And best yet, it seems to be a high ranking one at that! Sigel rode to a cannon and barked a command to its crew, "Swing that cannon around and throw some lead in that officer's direction!" Sigel pointed to the Rebel commander on horseback. The men did as told and started firing. Their first fews shots landed near the officer, but did no harm. "Dammit! Hit that bastard and I'll give you some whiskey rations when this is over!" Sigel yelled. That did it. The cannon fire landed right on top of the officer and he went down. What Sigel didn't realize it that his order had changed the course of the battle in favor of the Union.
Southern Army
McCulloch's troops
General Benjamin McCulloch was in high spirits. The yankees had attacked them and had driven some of the rebel forces away from the fighting, but know, it was the yankees who were feeling it now. Just you wait. My boys will give you something that will kick the shit outta you. Yessir. Soon as we... McCulloch didn't have time to finish that thought as Union artillery poured down around him. Many men begged McCulloch to get down, but he just smiled at him. What are they worried about? There isn't a yankee living that can kill me. Soon, my yankee friends, soon I'll... It was a really cruel joke that just as McCulloch held the Yankees in contempt, that a Yankee shell screamed over head and burst directly above him, killing him instantly.